What was life really like in the Renaissance?  How are the issues of Justice, Truth, and Beauty that we examine in our curriculum reflected in their lifestyles?  Let's examine a particular day in time, just an ordinary day, with no particular import to it.  The printing press has been invented, towns and cities are growing, and the feudal system has ended.  England, always a little slower than the rest of Europe, and recovering from the roiling troubles of Henry VIII and his woes with the Church, is now firmly under the rule of Elizabeth I, his daughter.  The Renaissance that has been sweeping the mainland for at least two centuries, has at last reached the shores of this island with a vengeance.   Let's practice our Internet skills, write creatively, and develop good habits in citing sources while journeying through the Renaissance.

The Product:  After doing some Internet research about life in England at this period in history, write a diary entry from the perspective of a chosen character for September 13, 1597, that illustrates your knowledge of life in the Renaissance. You may choose to organize your diary response by recounting it chronologically or by focusing on one major event of the day that impacted your life deeply. Analyze and synthesize the information you gather so that you have a clear understanding of sixteenth century life through your character's eyes. Another aspect of this task includes a MySpace profile that will be shared with your entire class. Think carefully about what would be appropriate and important to your character as you prepare this profile.